A fanbase starving for success after nearly a decade of feeling distraught and dejected is going to let their voices be heard when they don’t feel something is right. Regardless of the opinions of former players, analysts, or writers, they want to see what the previous results were when their favorite team makes a major decision. What have you done for me lately is a common phrase used to assess a player, coach, or team across all sports. Applying that to the new Falcons’ head coach, Kevin Stefanski, results in plenty of skepticism behind the franchise’s decision to hire him.
Stefanski had understandably been recently fired by Cleveland after two recent nightmare seasons. While the franchise had legitimate highs with him at the helm, it was evident they needed a fresh start after going 8-26 in the last two years. Some were left puzzled as to why someone with a 45-56 record would be a coveted head coaching candidate. Being able to maximize talent and produce far more with less can be viewed as one of the strongest indicators of a head coach’s overall ability. That is what Stefanski did from 2020 to 2023 with a franchise notorious for being unstable and uncompetitive.
In one of the toughest divisions in football, Cleveland was consistently competing, reaching the playoffs twice and never winning fewer than seven games in the two years when they fell short. Stefanski didn’t need memorable press conferences or interviews to galvanize a fan base so accustomed to losing. He built a strong identity with a punishing run game led by a stellar offensive line with All-Pros such as Joel Bitonio, Wyatt Teller, and Jack Conklin. While things eventually went awry after the organization committed to Deshaun Watson, it was astonishing to see the Browns competing with the AFC’s best in January during Stefanski’s best years. That is one of the primary reasons why he is a highly regarded coach who is far more equipped to be the Falcons’ new leader than his overall record suggests.
Forward-thinking with an aggressive edge
After having head coaches who weren’t considered overly analytical, the Falcons have hired someone who relentlessly works to use analytics to his advantage. It helped make Stefanski one of the top coaching candidates in 2020 after his fine work as an offensive coordinator for the Vikings. Heavily integrating play-action into game plans was a driving force behind Kirk Cousins having one of the best seasons of his career. As much as they had success in the air, he remained persistent in running the ball, as the Vikings had the NFL’s fifth-highest run rate in 2019. Keeping defenses guessing while punishing them in the trenches was the winning recipe.
That translated over to Cleveland, where Nick Chubb had some of his finest seasons. Mixing in different blocking schemes is one of the many things the Falcons will welcome offensively after how stale they became under Zac Robinson. Stefanski recognizes influential trends across the league and attempts to incorporate them into his system. His candid thoughts on play-action are a prime example, debunking archaic beliefs on the impact of the running game.
The Browns finished top five in rushing yards per game from 2020 to 2022. When the personnel group is cohesive, Stefanski’s teams have dominated on the ground. The prospect of having Bijan Robinson in a more dynamic scheme creates endless possibilities. That should coincide with improvement up front, knowing Stefanski’s track record of acquiring and developing talent, where offensive linemen like Ethan Pocic and JC Tretter had their best seasons under him. A long-term succession plan for Jake Matthews at left tackle and added competition at center are priorities that should be addressed.
For all his past success on the ground, how the team moves forward at quarterback will be most pivotal. That’s the biggest question the two-time NFL Coach of the Year faces in his new role. Michael Penix Jr.’s development is most important, but someone else will likely be the opening day starter in 2026, given his recovery timeline from having knee surgery on November 25th. Every quarterback on the roster can be expected to be extensively pushed. Shedeur Sanders expressed how much Stefanski worked rigorously to develop him. After previous coaching staffs lacked accountability and failed to make personnel changes promptly enough, a more meticulous coach who has proven to be adaptable is needed in Atlanta.
Acclimating and understanding
The way things unraveled with Watson is the biggest red flag when assessing Stefanski’s resume. While the Browns were collectively wrong for acquiring the embattled quarterback, the head coach always garners significant criticism when a once electrifying star becomes incapable of playing the position. Watson’s preference for being most comfortable in the shotgun, while Stefanski wanted him to play more under center, raised conflict. For the scrutiny placed on a coach for not doing more to build an offense around a quarterback’s strengths, Watson clearly couldn’t function as a quarterback, making every fundamental error imaginable.
What Stefanski proved is that a quarterback can step in and succeed under him in difficult circumstances, as Joe Flacco’s remarkable five-game run helped earn the Browns a playoff spot. He became the first quarterback in franchise history to throw for 300+ yards in four consecutive games. After Watson’s season-ending injury, Stefanski made the necessary adjustments to finish with a better record than the Steelers and win as many games as the Chiefs and Bills did in 2023. While the Browns’ defensive dominance tormented opponents, the offense finished respectably 12th in the league in points per game at 22.8.
Operating with quarterback instability is never ideal, but it’s something Stefanski is quite experienced at. The Ringer’s Nora Princiotti listed out a lengthy group of quarterbacks who played for Cleveland since 2022. Working with a wide array of pocket passers and gunslingers greatly tested him. He can use his failures in Cleveland as teachable moments to decide how he moves forward with the uncertainty around Penix Jr. Although the team will likely move on from Cousins, his familiarity with Stefanski could be beneficial in raising the floor for an offense with game-changing talent.
As he looks to find the right short-term solution, with the greatest quarterback in franchise history alongside him, Stefanski has wisely maintained some form of continuity amongst the coaching staff. Retaining Jeff Ulbrich is a massive move following the remarkable defensive transformation. Having that stability for an ascending unit can only be beneficial during an orgnaizational transition process. Stefanski’s experience working with no first-round picks will also help the new general manager best utilize the team’s limited resources. Acclimating is one of the key components toward becoming a successful head coach. It’s one of the primary reasons why Stefanski earned NFL Coach of the Year honors in 2020 and 2023.
It’s deeper than the win-loss record
The most puzzling critique of the Stefanski hire is the persistence in highlighting his record. Are coaches supposed to overcome every obstacle within an organization that arguably made the worst trade in NFL history? While he took accountability for a franchise-altering mistake, that decision was ownership-driven, as confirmed by Yahoo senior NFL reporter Charles Robinson. It’s difficult to envision any coach bouncing back from such a colossal error at the most valuable position in football, where so much financial investment and draft capital were put into the move. Stefanski was essentially doomed, as the franchise essentially used 2025 as a total rebuild season.
Evaluating coaching performance purely based on wins and losses is a flawed process. Nick Sirianni has the fifth all-time best winning percentage among coaches. If he didn’t win a Super Bowl last year, there is a strong possibility he would have been fired after another season of making the wrong decision to hire from within at offensive coordinator. Mike McCarthy’s winning percentage is at .608 with 174 career wins. The overall consensus is that most teams want nothing to do with McCarthy because of consistently underachieving with tremendous rosters, outdated offensive philosophy, and an inability to adapt in a sport that is constantly evolving. Both coaches have stellar career records, yet there wouldn’t be much enthusiasm if they were hired for a new role.
Stefanski worked wonders for most of his tenure in Cleveland before everything collapsed in 2024. He responded well to adversity when things didn’t click with Odell Beckham Jr. What he accomplished with Flacco will forever be cherished in 2023. Excuses were never made. The turmoil behind the scenes never resulted in public drama from Stefanski’s side. He operated like a consummate professional who wanted to build a young core into a consistent winning team. Two disastrous seasons shouldn’t overshadow four seasons of surpassing expectations (2020, 2023) and being competitive in an ultra-tough division in difficult circumstances (2021, 2022). Wins and losses can’t solely quantify a coach’s overall performance. When you assess Stefanski’s entire tenure and overall background, there is plenty of reason to believe he can lead the Falcons back to the playoffs sooner rather than later.
